Biological sciences

Members of the heat-shock protein 70 family promote cancer cell growth by distinct mechanisms

Article Abstract:

A thorough analysis of the expression and function of the cytosolic Hsp70 proteins in human cancer cells is presented and Hsp70-2, which is a protein essential for spermatogenesis is identified as an important regulator of cancer cell growth. The cancer cells experience a synergistic antiproliferative effect due to the concomitant depletion of the Hsp70 and Hsp70-2, thus demonstrating that the Hsp70 proteins lead to nonoverlapping functions that are essential for cell growth and survival.

Critical roles for Dicer in the female germline

Article Abstract:

Dicer, an essential component of the ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi) pathways, is necessary to control mouse oocyte gene regulation and genome organization. An examination of tissue-restricted Dicer loss in mice indicates a critical role for Dicer during meiosis in the female germline, essential for turnover of a substantial subset of maternal transcripts normally lost during oocyte maturation.